Former Etihad jet is saved from the scrap heap and transformed into a quirky £179-a-night holiday rental that can sleep up to four people
- Toby Rhys Davies splashed out £45,000 to buy the decommissioned Airbus A319 from a reclamation yard
- He has created a living and sleeping space for four people inside the aircraft, which is now a holiday rental
- The transformed plane also boasts a hot water shower, toilet, an original kitchen and an outside barbecue
A former Etihad Airways jet has been saved from the scrap heap and transformed into an incredible £179-a-night holiday rental for four people complete with its original kitchen and emergency exits.
Toby Rhys Davies, 47, is the owner of the quirky Apple Campsite, in Redburth, South Wales, which first made headlines in 2016 when he welcomed his first aircraft to the site – a nine-passenger 1970s Jet Star.
Now, Toby has splashed out £45,000 to add the Airbus A319, the first plane ever to be decommissioned by Etihad, to his bizarre camp – where visitors can also stay in a UFO, a Pac-Man dome and a disco chapel.
The former Etihad Airways Airbus A319 that has been saved from the scrap heap and transformed into a £179-a-night holiday rental
The plane sleeps up to four people inside. It is owned by Toby Rhys Davies, who runs the Apple Campsite, in Redburth, South Wales
The aircraft was so big it had to be cut into two parts to be hauled and craned into pride of place in Toby’s field.
But the two compartments have allowed him to create a space that can sleep up to four people with a hot water shower, a toilet, and even an outdoor shelter.
Businessman Toby said: ‘When I discovered a reclamation yard in Wales had an Airbus A319, we went down and straight away I told them I’d take it.
‘It’s in really good nick, even though it’s 27 years old it had been redone a couple of times and it was the first plane Etihad decommissioned.
‘Since we opened the airbus to guests, we’ve had 12 families stay with us and they’ve all loved it.
‘I’m very proud of how it’s turned out and it’s very satisfying to see it come together.
Toby transformed one of the plane’s toilets into a shower with hot water, left. Pictured right is the accommodation’s working kitchen in what used to be the plane’s galley
In order to transport the plane from the reclamation yard to the campsite, it had to be cut into two parts. The smaller part now forms an outside area
‘It’s definitely caught people’s imaginations for doing something completely different.
‘It attracts people who reminisce about their days travelling. It taps into things that remind people of their happy memories.’
Throughout its three decades in the air, the A319 has been owned by Air Canada and leased to Air Malta before it was purchased by Etihad in 2003. It was taken out of service last year.
From saving the relic in May to opening it to guests last month, Toby has rewired and modified the tail end of the plane so that it can still be accessed by its two rear emergency exits.
Businessman Toby said: ‘When I discovered a reclamation yard in Wales had an Airbus A319, we went down and straight away I told them I’d take it.’ Pictured is the plane being transported to the campsite
When transporting the jet, the most that could be moved in one journey was 35ft, so 12ft was cut off and used for the barbecue decking area
When he picked up the jet, the most he could move in one journey was 35ft, so reclamation yard staff cut off 12ft and he used this to create a barbecue area on the decking.
Toby added: ‘When I got there and saw the size of it I wouldn’t have even considered undertaking the project unless I had done it before, but the Jet Star had been such a success that I knew we could do it again.
‘It was already cut in half with the bottom chopped off it so we decided to take the bottom end, but even the 47ft section that we took was too big to haul into the campsite in one go.’
One of the two toilets has been converted into a hot shower room, and the main kitchen – which once only catered for in-flight meals – can now easily serve a family of four.
Toby had to use a crane in order to put the plane in place. Stays in the jet start from £179 per night
Deciding to start the campsite six years ago, Toby said he never dreamed that it would become the niche holiday destination it is today, only acquiring the first aircraft by complete chance.
Since then, he estimates he has spent in excess of £700,000 on creating 12 luxury and unique glamping venues on the field.
He explained: ‘I got planning permission to built yurts on the field but then the council gave permission to a bigger business to do the same in a nearby field straight after.
‘The idea wasn’t unique anymore so I knew I was going to have to do something different to make the campsite work.
Toby poses next to the quirky accommodation alongside his girlfriend Tiffany Martin. He estimates he has spent in excess of £700,000 on creating 12 luxury and unique glamping venues on the field
‘I absolutely hate static caravans, I think they look awful, and when I look at these aircraft I think why wouldn’t you convert something that is ten times better built than a static caravan into a camping venue.
‘I didn’t plan to do any of this, it’s just happened because of the circumstances – you just need to crack on and come up with new ideas.
‘Each of the venues attract people for their own unique reasons.
‘The UFO is perfect for travellers fascinated by space and aliens while the Pac-Man dome is loved by parents who like to reminisce about their time in the 80s.’
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